How Many Times Can You Race Around the Tree Before You Catch Me?

“What the fuck do you mean you left?!” I jumped up and shot out of the back lounge.

I hung up the phone and ran through the bunk area and out the front lounge, knocking someone over in the process. I was in such a hurry that I left without apologizing. I kept running and weaving through all the buses that were starting to move until I got to where we had been parked. Sure enough, there was no bus there.

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!?”

I kicked the dirt and began shouting expletives and talking about all of the terrible things I was going to do to the boys. Jake especially. I immediately called each of them, with no response. While pacing constantly, I kept trying and finally Christian answered.

“Hello?” He had clearly been asleep.

“TURN THE FUCK AROUND AND GET BACK HERE.” I threw my hands up.

“Jax, calm the fuck down. We’re giving you a day off.” I groaned.

“No, you’re not. Come back here and get me now. I am not spending the night on Issues bus.” He sighed.

“Then stay with motionless. We don’t care who you stay with, but we’re making you have a day off. You’re always running non stop for us, can you please just accept it for once?”

Why did they want me to take a day off so bad?

Unless Jake told them about ADTR.

“You know about ADTR.” It was more of a statement than a question.

“Yeah, Jake told us last night. Look, we can’t make you stay. However, maybe a few days off through out all of this will keep you from leaving forever…” Sadness was all I could really hear in his voice. They were truly scared that I was going to leave them and never come back.

“Christian… I would never just drop you guys like that. I just can’t handle the constant fighting with everyone. I can’t make you change your mind at this point, but I don’t want anymore days off. I’ll see you guys in two days. Try not to kill each other and be careful.” I hung up before he could say anything.

I needed a bus to get me somewhere. However, I couldn’t find Issues bus. I also had never met them and was not comfortable with that. Motionless was the other option.

With a groan, I started to make my way back to their bus. Josh was outside locking everything up for them to leave.

“I thought Vinny scared you away.” He chuckled but stopped when he saw how upset I probably looked.

“It takes a lot to scare me,” I took a deep breath,” look the guys left without me. Is there anyway I could come with you guys for a few days?”

“They left you?” He looked shocked.

“Yeah, they said I work too hard.” He shrugged.

“I mean if the guys are cool with it I am. The back lounge is always open or the couch in the front.” I gave him a small smile.

“Thanks.” I followed him inside.

“Are you guys cool with Jax staying with us until the next show?” Everyone kinda shrugged and nodded.

“Alright, choose your sleeping spot. You’re free to anything that’s not labeled.” Chris opened the cabinet behind the booth and pulled a bottle of lotion out and threw it to me.

“For the tattoo.” He smiled.

“Thank you.” I awkwardly and quickly made my way to the back room and laid down. It had been such a long and frustrating day that I only wanted to sleep.

I laid down awkwardly in the corned of the couch and soon fell asleep.

A FEW HOURS LATER

I felt something drape over me and I quickly jumped out of my sleep.

“Hey, it’s just me. I didn’t mean to wake you.” Vinny put a hand on my not tattooed arm.

I sat up and tried to even out my breathing. The bus was shaking and I knew we were moving. Peeking out the window told me it was still night time and I had only been asleep for a few hours. I looked back and Vinny. He was upset. I had run off on him.

“I am so sorry I ran off earlier. The guys left me.” He shrugged.

“I mean it upset me, but it’s what ever.” He gave me a sad smile and went to stand. I grabbed his hand.

“Stay.” His face immediately brightened.

I moved and he laid down on one side of the couch and I laid down across the middle part of the couch and placed my head on his stomach and the blanket over me.

“I really am sorry.” I felt him take a deep breath.

“It’s fine, really. I would have done the same thing if that happened to me.” He paused.

“ok well not the same thing, but I would kinda be upset still.” I chuckled.

“Yeah, I know what ya mean.”

We fell into that silence once again. This time he grabbed my hand and started messing with my fingers. It was weird to me how happy I could be with someone in such silence. I enjoyed it really.

“Would you be my boyfriend?” I shocked myself at those words. Vinny was so surprised that he froze.

“What?” I turned over so that I was looking at him. He was looking down at me kind of confused.

“We’ve done nothing but spend these last few days together. I like you and you like me. You’re right too, I need to live a little.” He smiled at my words.

“You have no reservations about this?” I turned again so that I was staring straight at the ceiling.

“Oh course I do and if we were going to do this I’d want to keep it on the low down for a bit. Yet, I really can’t pretend to care about other people’s opinions anymore. I want to be happy. Being with you makes me happy.”

There was silence. He wasn’t moving and that kind of scared me so I looked at him again. He was just smiling at me.

“Alright, you’re getting a bit creepy with the staring and-“ He kissed me. A short, sweet, and simple kiss.

“Yes, I would love to be in a relationship with you.” I smiled back at him.

That was it. We laid in content silence. The only time we moved was once when Vinny opened the window a bit because it was hot and again when he put a movie on. I imagine I fell asleep pretty soon after that. When I woke up it was because people were snickering.

“I wonder if it’s an actual thing between the two of them or if this was an in their sleep kinda thing.”

“Doesn’t matter. Someone has to wake them up. We’re almost to the hotel.” Now seemed like the most opportune time to let whoever know that I was awake.

“Technically it’s my day off, I’m supposed to be allowed to sleep in.”I voiced without opening my eyes.

“Sorry Princess, but we’re almost to the hotel. Your pillow needs to be awoken.” I opened my eyes and groaned and the brightness.

“Next time turn the sun off before you wake me up.” I heard the chortle provided by one of the people in the door.

“Yes, let me just turn off a floating ball of gas that’s lightyears away.”Sarcasm radiated from who I now knew to be Matt, their all around assistant guy.

“It’s not that hard dude.” I turned towards them, my hand firmly wrapped in Vinny’s still.

They were just staring at me. Matt, Ghost, Josh, and Rich all squeezed into the little area by the door.

“I’m awake, now what?”

“You look like a raccoon.” I rolled my eyes and went to stand but Vinny wrapped his arm around my chest.

“Fuck off guys, We want to sleep.” I rolled my eyes.

“I’m up now. That and I need to go wash my face.” I went to push Vinny’s arm off of my again but he just pulled me closer.

I looked over at the four standing in the door and they were snickering again. With an eye roll I finally pushed his arm off of me and he ended up squished into the couch. My bones popped as I stood and stretched

“Why you gotta hurt me like dis?” He had turned and his arms were stretched out towards me.

“Grow up ya big baby.” I rolled my eyes again.

“What were your plans for the day?” I lolled my head from side to side while thinking.

“I need to go get clothes. I actually don’t have money for that though so I’ll probably end up sitting back here if that’s ok with you guys?” Ghost rolled his eyes and grabbed my wrist, pulling me towards the front of the bus.

“Wash your face and your tattoo, I’ll be right back.”

He left me standing in the bathroom very confused as to why. Turning around, I decided to do what I knew I had to and started with the messy smears all over my face. Wiping away at my face only made it worse and it was hard while the bus was bouncing around. I threw my hands up in frustration and moved on to my tattoo. After washing it I dabbed it dry and that’s when Ghost came back.

“These should fit you.” He placed a shirt and jeans on the counter.

“Oh…thanks…” He gave me a small smile and left the bathroom again, closing the door behind him.

After getting the clothes on, I realized that Ghost was either half the size of a normal person or I was fat as hell. These jeans were so tight. Luckily the shirt was over sized on me. It was a t shirt that had been cut up into a tank top. One attempt was given to wipe my face clear of the makeup before I walked out of the bathroom. I ran straight into Ghost.

“Sit on the toilet.” I raised an eyebrow from him but did as he asked. He hadn’t done anything ridiculous now, why worry?

“Some of the others are going to the Roswell museum. They want to know if you’d like to go as well?”He asked as he started pulling out makeup.

“Why didn’t they ask me?” He told me to close my eyes and started brushing what I guessed was eye shadow on my eye lids.

“I kind of prevented that. Ya know, forcing you into he bathroom and such.” I chuckled and let him to his work.

He remained silent through each substance he put on my face. So I did the same. eventually he finished and pulled my up.

“Alright. There ya go.”

He had done a simple smokey eye with bright red lips and a pale face.

“Wow, this is the most make up I’ve had one since my first weeks in college.” I gave a sad smile at those memories.

“Don’t get depressing on me now, It’s bonding day. We can’t have some random girl dating a member of our crew and not know them.” I looked at Ghost with wide eyes. Was he joking or…

“The walls aren’t sound proof my dear."